1997 CHEVROLET S10 — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 465 complaints · 8 recalls
Most-reported system: VISIBILITY (113 complaints · 24.3%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 62
  • Fires 8
  • Injuries 37
  • Deaths 3
Compare with 1996 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution VISIBILITY appears in 113 of 465 owner complaints (24.3%) in this vehicle snapshot. VISIBILITY: 113 complaints, 24.3% of reports VISIBILITY 113 · 24.3% · 3 crash reports 1 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 90 complaints, 19.4% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 90 · 19.4% · 12 crash reports AIR BAGS: 41 complaints, 8.8% of reports AIR BAGS 41 · 8.8% · 33 crash reports POWER TRAIN: 40 complaints, 8.6% of reports POWER TRAIN 40 · 8.6% · 2 crash reports FUEL SYSTEM: 36 complaints, 7.7% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 36 · 7.7% · 1 crash reports 1 fire reports ENGINE: 28 complaints, 6.0% of reports ENGINE 28 · 6.0% · 1 fire reports STRUCTURE: 19 complaints, 4.1% of reports STRUCTURE 19 · 4.1% · 1 crash reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 18 complaints, 3.9% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 18 · 3.9% · 1 crash reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 14 complaints, 3.0% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14 · 3.0% · 1 crash reports 3 fire reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 368 complaints, 79.1% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 368 · 79.1% · 54 crash reports 5 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
VISIBILITY 113 24.3% 3 crashes · 1 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 90 19.4% 12 crashes · 0 fires
AIR BAGS 41 8.8% 33 crashes · 0 fires
POWER TRAIN 40 8.6% 2 crashes · 0 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 36 7.7% 1 crashes · 1 fires
ENGINE 28 6.0% 0 crashes · 1 fires
STRUCTURE 19 4.1% 1 crashes · 0 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 18 3.9% 1 crashes · 0 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 14 3.0% 1 crashes · 3 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 368 79.1% 54 crashes · 5 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Oct 1996; the first recall shown was reported in Jun 1997. 1996-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 1997-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 1997-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 1997-Q4: 22 owner reports 22 1998-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 1998-Q2: 18 owner reports 18 1998-Q3: 9 owner reports 9 1998-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 1999-Q1: 13 owner reports 13 1999-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 1999-Q3: 32 owner reports 32 1999-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2000-Q1: 22 owner reports 22 2000-Q2: 22 owner reports 22 2000-Q3: 19 owner reports 19 2000-Q4: 20 owner reports 20 2001-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2001-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2001-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2001-Q4: 3 owner reports 3 2002-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2002-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2002-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2002-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q1: 12 owner reports 12 2003-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2003-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2003-Q4: 8 owner reports 8 2004-Q1: 8 owner reports 8 2004-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2004-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2004-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q1: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q2: 4 owner reports 4 2005-Q3: 7 owner reports 7 2005-Q4: 4 owner reports 4 2006-Q1: 3 owner reports 3 2006-Q2: 6 owner reports 6 2006-Q3: 4 owner reports 4 2007-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2007-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2007-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q1: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2008-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2008-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2009-Q2: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q3: 2 owner reports 2 2009-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2010-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2010-Q2: 3 owner reports 3 2010-Q4: 1 owner reports 1 2011-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q2: 1 owner reports 1 2012-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2013-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q3: 1 owner reports 1 2014-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2015-Q4: 2 owner reports 2 2019-Q1: 1 owner reports 1 Owner reports Oct 1994 Jan 2019 Recall campaign 97V096001 ◆ Recall campaign 97V096001 Recall campaign 97V146001 ◆ Recall campaign 97V146001 Recall campaign 98V177000 ◆ Recall campaign 98V177000 Recall campaign 00V069200 ◆ Recall campaign 00V069200 Recall campaign 00V159000 ◆ Recall campaign 00V159000 Recall campaign 03V159000 ◆ Recall campaign 03V159000 Recall campaign 07E021000 ◆ Recall campaign 07E021000 Recall campaign 09E025000 ◆ Recall campaign 09E025000 Investigation EA94038 ● Investigation EA94038 Investigation PE96061 ● Investigation PE96061 Investigation EA97004 ● Investigation EA97004 Investigation RQ04002 ● Investigation RQ04002
  • Campaign 97V146001 was reported 272 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 98V177000 was reported 288 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 00V069200 was reported 730 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 00V159000 was reported 1,281 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 03V159000 was reported 2,016 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 07E021000 was reported 3,535 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 09E025000 was reported 3,869 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
1996-Q4 Owner reports 2
1997-Q1 Owner reports 4
1997-Q2 Owner reports 2
1997-Q3 Owner reports 7
1997-Q4 Owner reports 22
1998-Q1 Owner reports 14
1998-Q2 Owner reports 18
1998-Q3 Owner reports 9
1998-Q4 Owner reports 12
1999-Q1 Owner reports 13
1999-Q2 Owner reports 12
1999-Q3 Owner reports 32
1999-Q4 Owner reports 8
2000-Q1 Owner reports 22
2000-Q2 Owner reports 22
2000-Q3 Owner reports 19
2000-Q4 Owner reports 20
2001-Q1 Owner reports 12
2001-Q2 Owner reports 11
2001-Q3 Owner reports 18
2001-Q4 Owner reports 3
2002-Q1 Owner reports 8
2002-Q2 Owner reports 15
2002-Q3 Owner reports 15
2002-Q4 Owner reports 4
2003-Q1 Owner reports 12
2003-Q2 Owner reports 4
2003-Q3 Owner reports 7
2003-Q4 Owner reports 8
2004-Q1 Owner reports 8
2004-Q2 Owner reports 12
2004-Q3 Owner reports 15
2004-Q4 Owner reports 7
2005-Q1 Owner reports 4
2005-Q2 Owner reports 4
2005-Q3 Owner reports 7
2005-Q4 Owner reports 4
2006-Q1 Owner reports 3
2006-Q2 Owner reports 6
2006-Q3 Owner reports 4
2007-Q1 Owner reports 2
2007-Q2 Owner reports 1
2007-Q3 Owner reports 1
2007-Q4 Owner reports 1
2008-Q1 Owner reports 2
2008-Q2 Owner reports 2
2008-Q3 Owner reports 1
2008-Q4 Owner reports 2
2009-Q1 Owner reports 1
2009-Q2 Owner reports 2
2009-Q3 Owner reports 2
2009-Q4 Owner reports 2
2010-Q1 Owner reports 1
2010-Q2 Owner reports 3
2010-Q4 Owner reports 1
2011-Q3 Owner reports 1
2012-Q2 Owner reports 1
2012-Q3 Owner reports 1
2013-Q1 Owner reports 1
2013-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q1 Owner reports 1
2014-Q3 Owner reports 1
2014-Q4 Owner reports 2
2015-Q4 Owner reports 2
2019-Q1 Owner reports 1
Recall campaign 1 97V096001
Recall campaign 1 97V146001
Recall campaign 1 98V177000
Recall campaign 1 00V069200
Recall campaign 1 00V159000
Recall campaign 1 03V159000
Recall campaign 1 07E021000
Recall campaign 1 09E025000
Defect investigation 1 EA94038
Defect investigation 1 PE96061
Defect investigation 1 EA97004
Defect investigation 1 RQ04002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (8)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 00V069200

    Report date
    Component:
    ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
    Consequence:
    HEAT COULD BUILD UP WITHIN THE CHARGE PORT AND A FIRE COULD RESULT.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CHARGE PORT ASSEMBLY WITH A REDESIGNED CHARGE PORT ASSEMBLY.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 00V159000

    Report date
    Component:
    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
    Consequence:
    THIS COULD WEAR OFF THE CORROSION PROTECTION ON THE BRAKE PIPE, LEADING TO PREMATURE CORROSION AND EVENTUAL LOSS OF BRAKE PIPE INTEGRITY. WHEN BRAKE PIPE INTEGRITY IS LOST, BRAKE FLUID LEAKAGE CAN OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL RELOCATE THE GROUND STRAP ATTACHMENT, INSPECT THE BRAKE PIPE FOR WEAR, AND REPLACE THE BRAKE PIPE IF NECESSARY.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 03V159000

    Report date
    Component:
    VISIBILITY
    Consequence:
    IF THIS WERE TO OCCUR DURING BAD WEATHER, DRIVER VISIBILITY WOULD BE REDUCED, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BOARD AND COVER. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 19, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHEVROLET AT 1-800-222-1020, GMC AT 1-800-462-8782, OR OLDSMOBILE AT 1-800-442-6537.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 07E021000

    Report date
    Component:
    FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
    Consequence:
    FUEL MAY LEAK, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
    Remedy:
    DELPHI WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE UPR FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 23, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT DELPHI AT 877-411-8770.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 09E025000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    DECREASED LIGHTING VISIBILITY MAY RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V096001

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    IF A SEPARATION OCCURRED AND THERE WERE SECONDARY CRASH EVENTS OR VEHICLE ROLLOVER, THERE WOULD BE NO BELT RESTRAINT OF THE OCCUPANT AND INCREASED INJURIES COULD OCCUR.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSTALL A PROTECTIVE COVER OVER THE RECLINER MECHANISM.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 97V146001

    Report date
    Component:
    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
    Consequence:
    BRAKE FLUID LOSS CAN REDUCE BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS AND INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCES RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
    Remedy:
    DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE OIL PAN AND THE BRAKE LINE. IF THE CLEARANCE IS 6MM OR LESS, DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ADDITIONAL BRAKE LINE CLIP AND IF THERE WAS CONTACT BETWEEN THE OIL PAN AND BRAKE LINE, THE FRONT BRAKE LINE WILL BE REPLACED.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 98V177000

    Report date
    Component:
    VISIBILITY
    Consequence:
    IF RAPID FOGGING WERE TO OCCUR DURING DRIVING, IT COULD OBSTRUCT THE DRIVER'S VISION INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
    Remedy:
    OWNERS ARE BEING PROVIDED WITH A CAUTION LABEL AND SUPPLEMENTAL INSERT FOR THEIR OWNER'S MANUAL ADVISING THEM TO FOLLOW A "STOP AND WAIT" PROCEDURE TO HELP AVOID WINDOW FOGGING WHILE DRIVING.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 465 complaints · page 1 of 19

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources